V23|NO24
ART45
VALERIEEMERICK
Father’s Day In Aiken Community Playhouse’s production, real father and daughter play those roles on stage While most people will probably spend the upcoming Father’s Day weekend cooking out, going to dinner and doing nice things for their dads, Augusta actors Emily and John Greene, a real-life father and daughter, will be portraying a fictitious father and daughter in the Aiken Community Playhouse’s production of “Proof,” which was the winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award for Best Play. “Proof,” by American playwright David Auburn, tells the story of Catherine (played by Emily Greene), a troubled young woman who has spent years caring for her brilliant but unstable father, Robert (played by John Greene), a famous mathematician. Now, following his death, she must deal with her own volatile emotions; the arrival of her estranged sister, Claire; and the attentions of Hal, a former student of her father’s who hopes to find valuable work in the 103 notebooks that her father left behind. Throughout, the play explores Catherine’s fear of following in her father’s footsteps, both mathematically and mentally. “I think that this play originally appealed to my inner (hopefully hidden) ‘geek,’” says the play’s director, Dave Howard. “During my education as an engineer I was exposed to a lot of advanced mathematics, and I appreciated the ability of mathematicians to ‘prove’ that something was absolutely true beyond any shadow of doubt.” The play consists of only four characters, but as Howard explains, “I love having a small cast. It gives me a chance to interact more closely with them, get to know them, and work with them to tailor their portrayal to my (and their) vision of the character.” He later adds, “It’s a wonderful luxury for me, as a director, having a real father/ daughter team portray the father/daughter characters in the play. John and Emily already have that dynamic between them, so I didn’t have to wait for two strangers to develop that in their interaction. At the start of rehearsals they were a jump ahead of where we normally would be. In addition they are comfortable with portraying the
photo by Haley Hughes
love and the irritations… that exist between parent/child, whereas two unrelated actors often are hesitant to portray that.” “Working with my dad has been pretty easy,” explains Emily. “While we haven’t played opposite each other often, we have done a lot of theater together and know how each other works. Playing my father’s daughter hasn’t been too much of a stretch.” Her father, John, adds “We have been in other shows before, but not opposite of each other… It’s been interesting… there are some interesting life parallels going on here… dealing with a parent getting older… a young person finding herself… it’s very, very realistic.” “The cast is wonderful!” says Howard. “I had an almost bewildering assortment of very talented people to choose from after my auditions; I could have cast the show with many different equally talented people.” In addition to Emily and John Greene (pictured above during rehearsal), the cast consists of Gabe Emmanuel, another Augusta actor who plays the role of Hal, and Lauren Ellis a veteran Aiken Community Playhouse actor, who plays the role of Claire, Catherine’s sister. “Proof” | URS Center for the Performing Arts Friday-Saturday, June 15-16, 22-23: 8 p.m. | Sunday, June 17: 3 p.m. Adults, $20; seniors, $17; students, $17; children under 12, $7 | 803-648-1438 aikencommunityplayhouse.info
DREAM BOLDLY.
Comprehensive financial planning Investment strategies Retirement planning and rollovers Education funding solutions Life, home and auto insurance
Plan confidently.®
3015 Allen Drive, Evans, GA 30809
14JUNE2012
AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
METROSPIRIT 37